The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-12-24
A TRYING ORDEAL.
HOW A COLLEGE STUDENT sUPPED
WITH THE PRESIDENT.

Tho lsoys Rob the Hcnroost of One of
tho Faculty-A Nice Young Man Caught
i'll Trap-IIefore tho Faculty-The Re-
incment of Torture.
In the early years of this century, when
log houses We're good enough for the average
Georgian, n certain doctor presided over
Franklin college.
The simple habits of their dignified sircs
did not prevent the boys of those days from
having their fun-indccd, they carried on an
amount of devlment which the college boys
of these times would consider respectable.
The boys thought that anything was fair
which would make one of the faculty the vic
tim of II joke, and OH one occasion they laid
a dark plot to rob tho doctors poultry yard
and aftcrward celebrate tho event by Il mid
night banquet.
The doctors chickens were the pride of his
domestic establishment, and he had built for
their accommodation log house. The logs
were 'notched down" at the corners and held
i'll place by their own weight and the roof.
At late hour tho boys repaired to the hen
house, armed with fence rail. 1t was an
easy matter to insert the ruil between two
an opening through which u man could crawl.
A dappcr young fellow, who had visited the
doctors daughters, Went in and began to pull
tho chickens off the roost and wiring their
necks. While he did so the boys outside kept
crack open for his escape The nice young
about q dozen chickens outside, and the
pective banquet
DANGER AT HAND.
just then n big, old rooster crowcd
Look out, Bob; break that ROSTERS neck
and stop his noise'
"Sh! What's that"
There was a low growl
Boys, you have let these logs down too
low; lift them little so can get out. BE
quick about it,"
AT that instant there was a loud bark and
big dog bounded into the poultry yard.
The boys OH the outside for an instant stood
| their ground. They dropped the rail and
they grabbed chance weapons to beat of the
dog, bmt before they could disable him the
door of the doctors residence opened and his
tall figure appeared The boys scattered. all
but one.
The logs had come together again and
Bob was ii prisoner. He crouchcd in n cor
nrr and held his breath, hoping that lc would
H. overlooked, hut the dog told where he was.
! by this time the doctor had come up and
other members of tho family came out, eager
to sec who was caught in the man trap.
"Why, its Bob
"Who would have thought it, Tie cx.
carnations wcrc heard in tho house and
echoed by the young ladies. Then the 'lcol
of the log house was opened and tho young
man was sent to the ,lornitory. He was
called before tho faculty the next morning
The poor fellow would have sold himself for
n song, and expected to he Errcnptorlly cx,
PEELED and perhaps prosecuted.
THE DOCTORS CoSCLI sIoNS
Meantime the doctor had thought the mat
ter over He was Il man of great saGarity i'll
the management of boys, and lie rccos :.i.c,l
this freak as Il piece of wild mischief which
might not be mcan!irss. He resolved to give
the matter such disposition rs would put II
sober head on the young man. Accordingly
when Bob appeared, loo..il:, like criminal
| tl.n doctor lectured hiln severely, but in {;
t&.hrrly way, and told him that such III
oarnse must not 90 without u severe luiii:h
meat.
Bob expected the sentence Of his expulsion
With measured tones, like u judge nronounc
ing the death sentence, the doctor said:
"Mr. -, will expect you 10 take supper
with nc tonight, and. as you show a fond
rcss for chicken, tile fowls you took off tho
ronst last night will he ON the table
Bob would rather have been expelled But
| FOR tho distress it would cause lis parents l!t
would have gone home. lnsltr of his larks
.'lous effort he resolved to face the music
| 1t is impossible to describe the mental ag.
| ony Bob went through that evening when he
sat at the table where the doctor presided,
with colrtlv dignity
His elegant wife could not have been more
.o,lrtco'is to an honorcd guest than she was
| to Bob and her daughters treated the young
man as cordially as ever. Not a word was
said nlrnh the affair Of the night before ill,
the IL Q dish of chickens was like II mount
ain iii l:lr poor boys eyes. 1t wns the iri.n
mnn. OF torture when the dortor, with thu
utmost suuvitv, helped him To the choicest
pieces.
The situation, which, under ordinary cir
| runIStanccs. would have been llrli,rutls
under the dortor's c"mposurc and his wifc's
tact was carried almost to the pathetic
II was n lesson written on BobS memory il,
| burning letters, and he never forgot it-At-
| luntn journal
How "Dixie" Came to bo Written.
1t WnS on n Saturday night in 1859, When